Brake lever



c. s. JACOBS Jan. 29, 1952 BRAKE LEVER Filed OCT.. 20, 1950 INVENTOR. C7476 cas Patented `an. 29', 1:952

Clare s. Jacobs; Grosse Pointe Park, Mich., as;`

signor to F. L. Jacobs Co., Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application October 20, 1950, Serial No. 191,301

This invention relates to an improved brake lever for setting and releasing Ythe parking or emergency brake of a motor vehicle.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple and economically constructed brake actuating mechanism which is capable of being set in an inilnite number of locked positions rather than in a relatively few spaced positions as generally provided in brake actuators using ratchet-type lock means.

A further object is to provide a brake actuating lever which is held in locked position by friction, which may be actuated to locked position by a straight line pull, and which may be released by axial turning of the lever.

These and other objectsof the invention will be apparent from the following description and accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the brake actuating lever showing details of the mounting thereof in the motor vehicle;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view in the direction of the arrows along line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view in the direction of the arrows along line 3 3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view in the direction of the arrows along line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view in the direction of the arrows along line 5--5 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is a sectional view in the direction of the arrows along line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Referring to the figures, wherein reference characters have been used to designate the various parts, it may be seen that the instrument panel I Il of the vehicle is provided with a turnedunder ange II to which is secured by bolts I2 a bracket I3. A stiifening member I4 is welded to the flange I I at this point to rigidify the structure.

The bracket I3 has an upwardly bent portion provided with lugs I5 which are adapted to extend through the side walls of a housing I6. The latter houses the assembly and extends between the instrument panel I and the vehicle dash I1. A rubber grommet I8 mounts the outer end of the housing I6 in the dash I1 as illustrated. The housing is circular in cross-section for a portion of its length and has an enlarged portion I9, open at the bottom, adjacent the bracket I3 for enclosing the operating parts of the lock mechanism.

The actuating element of the brake lever consists of a rod 2!! formed with opposite flat faces 2I', 22 and with intervening cylindrical portions. One end of the rod has a handle 23 secured therea Claims. (o1. 744531) to by a pin 241 and the other end may be secured to the vehicle brake mechanism by any suitable connecting means such that a straight pull of the handle 23 will apply the parking or emergency brake;

The bracket I3 is apertured to receive the rod 2] which is freely slidable therein. A retainer 24 is spotwelded to the vertical leg of the bracket and a second retainer 25 is secured in the enlarged portion I9 of the housing by means of a pin 26. The second retainer carries a pair of detent washers 21 which are made of hardened steel. The housing portion I9 has a pierced portion 28 which is bent horizontally to form a shoulder against which the upper portion of the washers 21 rest.

A coil spring 29 exerts its force against the two retainers 24 and 25 which are shaped to receive the ends of the coil as shown. The washers 21 are provided with openings 30 which are substantially elliptical, or at least the horizontal diameter of the openings is slightly greater than the vertical diameter thereof, such that when the rod 2D is in such position that the flat portions 2 I, 22 thereof are at top and bottom, as illustrated, the rod will slide freely through the openings 30 in either direction of movement. When the rod 20 is turned the rounded portions thereof will engage the openings 30 at the top and bottom across the smaller diameter, and while movement of the rod toward the right of the drawing is permitted. movement thereof in the opposite direction will be resisted by biting engagement of the washers 21 on the rounded portions of the rod because of the slight tilt of the washers. This frictional engagement will lock the rod against leftward movement, but rightward movement is permitted because the washers will tend to assume a vertical position permitted by the spring 29 when the handle 23 is pulled.

It may thus be seen that the vehicle operator may apply the parking brakes of the vehicle by means of a straight pull of the handle 23 with the handle in either its horizontal or vertical position. If the handle is in vertical position. release of the handle will automatically lock the rod 20 in Whatever position it has been left because of the frictional engagement between the washers 21 and the rounded portions of the rod. To release the brakes, the handle is turned 90 to horizontal position, as illustrated, and the rod will travel freely through the openings in the washers 21 because of the clearance provided by the flats 2I, 22, and the enlarged horizontal di ameter of the holes 30.' A

Of course, the brakes may be applied with the handle 23 in horizontal position and then the handle may be turned 90 to lockV the rod. Because the rod 20 may be locked anywhere along its'length, and released simply by turning the handle 90. the eifort needed to apply the brakes fully `is lessened and the effort needed to release the brakes lis small "and is the same regardless of the degree of Aapplieation thereof. This Alatter feature is a decided advantage because of the difficulty frequently experienced in releasing conventional ratchet-type brake levers which Vmust be moved toward brake applying position before 1 theratchet can be released. A

Y While I have illustrated and described but `one of the many possible forms of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not thereby intend to limit the invention, as changes may be made in the arrangement and proportions of the parts Without departing from the spirit and scope of A"the `invention asset forth in :the'claims Aappended hereto. l

'eied position.

ing edges adapted to iriction'ally*engagez` the rod VWhen the. latter isrin one 'rotative position and to permit sliding of the rod when the latter' is in 'another rotative position.

-2. The combination set forth in claim 1 Wherein said Washer is yieldably held in its normally in- Y CLARE s. JACOBS. p REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: Y v Y UNITED STATES PATENTS Number l Name Y Date 1,738,862 Wis'well Y Y Dec. 10. 1929 2,170,900

J andus et al. Y Aug.'29, 1939 

